Traditional water-based nail enamels can result in nails being stained after removal of the enamels from the nails. Typically, such water-based enamels contain water-soluble dyes as colorants. Staining can result from the water-soluble dyes penetrating into the nail and staining the nail.
In the past, attempts have been made to modify the colorant in such nail enamels to render the colorant insoluble in water. Such attempts include converting the colorants to lakes, and using the colorants in such form in nail enamel products. However, in the presence of water or other solubilizing solvents, it is still possible for the colorant to solubilize and stain nails to which the enamel has been applied. Further attempts to solve the staining problem have included surface treating and/or encapsulating colorant. Representative examples of such attempts include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,528,044, 6,471,950, 5,599,530, 5,139,570, 4,832,944, and 4,344,932, and U.S. patent applications 2011/0033401 and 2006/0171909.
There remains a need for nail enamel compositions which are safe and adhere well to nails, yet which result in less staining to nails after removal from the nails.